The "Metaphysical Struggle" in the Moscow Patriarchate: An Attempt at a Theological Reflection on Several Ideologies
Abstract
In the current war in Ukraine, the Moscow Patriarchate increasingly supports the Russian Federation. It is shielded with theological rhetoric that incorporates themes of Russian national messianism.
The study aims to describe the selected themes and confront them with the teachings of the Orthodox Church. We start from the assumption that the Patriarchate's statements are variations on views that have already been discussed in the Church in the past.
On several points, there is a critical break between the official views of the Patriarchate and Orthodox teaching. It is apparent in the doctrine of war.
Other problematic points are between the interecclesiastical relations of the Patriarchate and the state based on its Soviet-era past. In order to understand the context and relationships between the various problems, it is necessary to elaborate on the issues in more detail, taking into account the overall context.
Only after that a more comprehensive interpretation of possible eschatological conclusions is possible.